K TO 12 CONCERNS

Universal Kindergarten began in SY 20112012.

The enhanced curriculum for Grade 1 and Grade 7 (1st Year Junior High School) was rolled out
this SY 20122013, and will be progressively introduced in the other grade levels in succeeding
school years.
Grade 11 will be introduced in SY 20162017 and Grade 12 in SY 20172018.
The first batch of high school students to go through K to 12 will graduate in March 2018.
Where will the additional two years be added?
The two years will be added after the four-year high school program. This will be called Senior
High School.
Why are we implementing 12 years of basic education and not 11 years?
A 12-year program is found to be the adequate period for learning under basic education. It is
also a standard for recognition of students and/or professionals abroad (i.e., the Bologna
Process for the European Union and the Washington Accord for the United States).
Other countries like Singapore have 11 years of compulsory education, but have 12 to 14 years
of pre-university education, depending on the track.
The Philippines is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries worldwide (the other
two being Angola and Djibouti) with a 10-year pre-university cycle.
How will K to 12 help in ensuring employment for our graduates?
The K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum will be sufficient to prepare students for work.
The curriculum will enable students to acquire Certificates of Competency (COCs) and National
Certifications (NCs). This will be in accordance with TESDA Training Regulations. This will allow
graduates to have middle-level skills and will offer them better opportunities to be gainfully
employed or become entrepreneurs.
There will be a schoolindustry partnership for technicalvocational courses to allow students to
gain work experience while studying and offer the opportunity to be absorbed by the companies.
What would be the assurance that K to 12 graduates will be employed?
DepEd has entered into an agreement with business organizations, local and foreign chambers of
commerce, and industries to ensure that graduates of K to 12 will be considered for employment.
There will be a matching of competency requirements and standards so that 12-year basic
education graduates will have the necessary skills needed to join the workforce and to match the
College Readiness Standards for further education and future employment.
Entrepreneurship will also be fostered in the enhanced curriculum, ensuring graduates can
venture into other opportunities beyond employment.
How will the K to 12 Program help working students (college level)?

DepEd is in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to provide more
opportunities for working students to attend classes.
DepEd is working with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to ensure that jobs will
be available to K to 12 graduates and that consideration will be given to working students.
How will the K to 12 Program help students intending to pursue higher education?

The K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum is in accordance with the College Readiness Standards of
CHED, which sets the skills and competencies required of K to 12 graduates who intend to pursue
higher education.
TRANSITION MANAGEMENT AND FURTHER EDUCATION
What will happen to colleges and universities during the initial nationwide implementation of
Senior High School in SY 20162017 and SY 20172018?
To manage the initial implementation of the K to 12 Program and mitigate the expected multiyear low enrolment turnout for colleges, universities, and Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVI)
starting SY 2016-2017, DepEd shall engage in partnerships with them to use their existing
facilities and teaching staff. This ensures that during the transition period, the reduction in
enrollment in these colleges and universities may be offset.
Where will Senior High School be implemented?
Existing public schools may implement Senior High School. DepEd will be in partnerships with
CHED, TESDA, and private schools to use their facilities, especially for the transition years. In
addition, new standalone Senior High Schools will be built.

How will DepEd recruit enough teachers for SY 2016-2017 onwards?

With the continuous increase of the DepEd budget, more teachers are being hired to fill all
necessary gaps in schools.
To aid transition, hiring of (1) graduates of Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, and
other specialists in subjects with a shortage of qualified Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET)
applicants, (2) graduates of Technical-Vocational courses, (3) Higher Education Institution faculty,
and (4) Practitioners will be allowed.
What are the guidelines for graduates of Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, and other
specialists in subjects with a shortage of qualified Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET)
applicants?
These graduates will be permitted to teach in their specialized subjects in elementary and
secondary education. They must pass the LET within five years after their date of hiring to
remain employed full-time.
They will no longer be required to pass the LET if these graduates are willing to teach on a parttime basis.
What are the guidelines for hired technical-vocational course graduates, faculty of Higher
Education Institutions, and practitioners?
Graduates of technical-vocational courses must have necessary certification issued by TESDA
and undergo training to be administered by DepEd or a Higher Education Institutions (HEI).
Faculty of colleges and universities must be full-time professors and be holders of a relevant
Bachelors degree.
Faculty of TVIs and HEIs will be given priority in hiring for the transition period.
DepEd and Private Education Institutions may also hire practitioners with expertise in the
specialized learning areas offered by the K to 12 Program as part-time teachers.
How will K to 12 affect the college curriculum?
The college General Education Curriculum is being revised. It will have fewer units with the
removal of unnecessary remediation as K to 12 graduates adhere to the College Readiness
Standards. With K to 12, the college curriculum will comprise of a years worth of General
Education subjects and at least two years of major subjects.
Will K to 12 change TESDA Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs?
No. TESDA will continue to offer TVET programs. Students may also be eligible for NC I and NC II
through Junior High School and Senior High School, respectively.
What is my role in supporting this program?
Be informed. Education shapes our future as Filipinos, it is our duty to be aware of reforms in
basic education that will move our country forward.
Spread awareness. Tell your family, friends, and networks about the K to12 Program and help
them stay informed.

CURRICULUM
What will happen to the curriculum? What subjects will be added and removed?
There is a continuum from Kindergarten to Grade 12, and to technical-vocational and higher
education.
The current curriculum has been enhanced and has been given more focus to allow mastery of
learning.
In Grades 11 and 12, core subjects like Math, Science, and Languages will be strengthened.
Specializations in students areas of interest will also be offered.
Will students choose specializations or will this be determined by assessment?

Students will undergo several assessments to determine their interests and strengths. These will
include an aptitude test, a career assessment exam, and an occupational interest inventory for
high schools, and should help students decide on their specialization.
To help guide students in choosing career tracks they intend to pursue, career advocacy
activities will be regularly conducted, which will be supported by career and employment
guidance counselors.
For Senior High School, what will happen if majority of our students want to specialize in
Agriculture and only one is interested to take Mathematics or Business? How will this be
accommodated?
This is an extreme situation.

The areas of specialization will be offered according to the resources available in a locality and
the needs of students.
What will happen to special schools such as science high schools, high schools for the arts, trade schools,
etc.?

These schools will remain special schools with an enriched curriculum for Grades 7 to 12.
What will happen to multi-grade teaching?
Multi-grade teaching will continue, and will use the K to 12 curriculum.
The Alternative Learning System (ALS) age requirement is only 16 years old for the high school
equivalency test. Will this change to 18? Students might want to turn to ALS if they can save two
years of formal school education costs.
The ALS is based on the existing 10-year basic education curriculum. When the new 12-year
curriculum will be in place, ALS will likewise be revised.
Will K to 12 enhance programs targeted to indigenous people, Muslim learners, and people with
special needs?
Yes, the K to 12 curriculum was designed to address diverse learner needs, and may be adapted
to fit specific learner groups.
Is Kindergarten a pre-requisite for entering Grade 1?
Yes. Republic Act No. 10157, or the Kindergarten Education Act, institutionalizes Kindergarten as
part of the basic education system and is a pre-requisite for admission to Grade 1. Public schools
will continue to admit children who have not taken Kindergarten into Grade 1 until SY 2013-2014.
Is there an overlap between the daycare program of the LGUs and DepEd Kindergarten?
There is no overlap. Daycare centers of the LGUs take care of children aged 4 and below,
whereas the DepEd Kindergarten program is for five-year-old children.
Should schools now prepare permanent records for Kindergarten students?
Yes. Although the assessment of readiness skills of students in Kindergarten is not academically
driven, a good measure of the childs ability to cope with formal schooling is needed for future
learning interventions.
Who is in charge of Kindergarten teacher compensation? The LGU or DepEd?
DepEd is the main agency that employs and pays Kindergarten teachers.
There are LGUs that assist the Kindergarten program and provide honoraria for Kindergarten
teachers.
Kindergarten

Will MTB-MLE include other languages in the future?

For SY 2012-2013, 12 Mother Tongue languages are being used for MTB-MLE. More languages,
such as Ivatan, will be added in succeeding years.
Which mother tongue will be used in multi-cultural areas?
The common language in the area, or lingua franca, shall be used as the medium of instruction.
The principle of MTB-MLE is to use the language that learners are most comfortable and familiar
with.

TEACHERS AND DEPED NONTEACHING STAFF

Will teachers be burdened by additional teaching load due to the K to 12 Program?
There will be no additional workload due to the K to 12 Program. The Magna Carta for Public
School Teachers provides that teachers should only teach up to six hours a day.
Will teacher salary increase as a result of the K to 12 Program?
The K to 12 Program will not result in a teacher salary increase because there will be no
additional teaching load or additional teaching hours.
Salary increases for other reasons, such as the Salary Standardization Law, inflation, promotion,
and Performance-Based Bonuses (PBB), may apply.
How will teachers be prepared for the K to 12 Program?

Teachers will be given sufficient in-service training on content and pedagogy to implement this
program. Current DepEd teachers shall be retrained to meet the content and performance
standards of the enhanced K to 12 curriculum. The pre-service education training for aspiring
teachers will also be modified to conform to the requirements of the program. DepEd, in
coordination with CHED, shall ensure that the Teacher Education curriculum offered in Teacher
Education Institutions will meet the necessary quality standards for new teachers.
Training of teachers will follow the phased-in introduction of the enhanced curriculum.

How will DepEd prepare its non-teaching staff and officials for smooth transition and implementation of the
K to 12 Program?

With the broader reform agenda, DepEd is ensuring the preparedness of the organization by
introducing organizational development interventions to continuously improve its service
delivery to the Filipino people.
School Leadership and DepEd officials shall undergo workshops and training to enhance skills on
their role as academic, administrative, and community leaders.
BUDGET
DepEd lacks resources to address its current input shortages. With K to 12 and its added resource
needs, how will this be addressed?
All input shortages will be wiped out before the end of 2013. A 1:1 ratio for student-to-textbook
and student-to-seat will be achieved within SY 2012-2013. Shortages in classrooms, teachers,
and toilets will be fully addressed next year.
The DepEd budget received a 23% increase in 2013 and budgetary requirements for K to 12 will
be included in succeeding appropriations for full implementation.
We also have the support of local government units and private partners to build the needed
infrastructure.
How can different sectors and individual citizens collectively collaborate to improve the basic education
sector?

Private partners can donate through our Adopt-A-School program, which provides them a 150
percent tax rebate for their contribution.
Individuals and institutions can take part in the TEN Moves! Campaign to build 10,000
classrooms by donating P10 per day for ten months.
LGUs can follow the front-loading scheme using their Special Education Fund as collateral and
the allocation as amortization.
For teacher items, LGUs also help by hiring qualified teachers for our public schools and paying
honoraria for them.
We have enough time to provide the additional classrooms, teachers, and instructional materials
since they will be needed beginning SY 20162017.

ENSURING SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAM

I like this program but Im worried about additional cost to families. How will government respond
to this difficulty?
Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education is offered for free in public schools.
There are additional indirect costs, but government agencies are collaborating to provide
programs that will enable everyone access to quality education, especially to those with lesser
means.
Proposals such as the expansion of the Education Service Contracting (ESC) scheme under the
Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) and other costsharing arrangements are being developed by DepEd.
K to 12 graduates should have higher earning potential as they will be more competent and
skilled.
As a result of the K to 12 Program, particularly the more specialized education in Senior High
School, CHED is exploring the possibility of decreasing the number of years of certain degree
programs in college.
K to 12 graduates can obtain national certification from TESDA, which will enable them to have
more employment opportunities.
What about the dropout problem? Will this be addressed by the K to 12 curriculum?

DepEd prefers the term school leavers rather than dropout, recognizing that most students
who discontinue schooling were pushed out of the system due to factors beyond their and their
parents control.
Keeping students in school is a responsibility of the entire community. To respond to this, DepEd
and other government agencies are collaborating to make sure that all children stay in school
through programs like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The curriculum will be learner-centered, enriched, and responsive to local needs. It will also allow
students to choose electives and specializations that suit their interest. This should partly
address those who stop attending school because of the perceived lack of relevance of the
curriculum.

DepEd will also continue to offer programs such as home schooling for elementary students and
the school leavers reduction program for high schools. These programs address the learning
needs of marginalized students and learners at risk of leaving the school system.
How will the government ensure the effectiveness of the K to 12 Program?

A Joint Oversight Committee from the Senate and the House of Representatives shall be formed
to oversee, monitor, and evaluate implementation.
By the end of SY 2014-2015, DepEd will conduct a review of the implementation of the K to 12
Program and submit a midterm report to Congress.
Wont this be another avenue for corruption? How can you ensure that funds will be released and
used properly?
DepEd fully supports the Aquino administrations drive against corruption.
We will regularly package and disseminate information on agency budgets, bidding and
procurement documents, and SALNs (Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth) of senior
government officials, to ensure transparency and accountability.
It is also in our best interest to ensure that funds and resources are not lost to corruption.